Surgical instrument



United States Patent SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Frederick J. Wallace, New York,N. Y., assignor to American Cystoscope Makers, Inc., New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application March 19, 1953, Serial No. 343,328

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-321) This invention relates to surgical instruments,and more particularly to such instruments that are in the category ofsurgical forceps. The invention, in one of its more specific aspects,pertains to a forceps type of surgical instrument having improvedfeatures of construction, whereby to facilitate reception and retentionof a mass of body tissue between the jaws thereof, prior to severance.

Instruments constructed in accordance with this invention are adapted toreadily remove masses of body tissue, such as polyps from various bodypassages including the larynx and nasal cavities. Heretofore, it hasfrequently been difiicult to remove polyps that are joined to walls ofsuch passages by relatively thin membranes, for'the reason that, due tothe slipperiness of polyps, they cannot be readily grasped and severedwith conventional instruments. This difficulty is obviated by the use ofmy instrument, as will be evident from the detailed description thatfollows.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved surgicalinstrument for readily removing a mass of tissue from a body passage.

The invention has for another object the provision of a surgical forcepshaving incorporated therein improved features of construction, whereby apolyp or the like, that is located in a body passage, such as a nasalcavity, may be readily received and retained between the jaws of theforceps, and then severed and removed from the passage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a surgical instrument ofthe character indicated, that is simple in construction and operation,reasonable in cost, readily sterilized, and capable of performing itsintended functions in a satisfactory manner.

To the end that the foregoing objects may be attained, a surgicalinstrument constructed in accordance with this invention preferablycomprises a support, a forceps control unit carried by the support, anda tubular member secured to and extending forwardly of the support. Adevice is affixed to and projects beyond the distal end of the tubularmember. This device includes a hollow first jaw that is open at one endand a body disposed intermediate the jaw and the tubular member. Themember is provided with a recess. A rod is positioned in andreciprocable with respect to the tubular member in response to actuationof the control unit. A second jaw is pivotally connected to the distalend of the rod through the intermediary of a block and a pivot pin. Thesecond jaw has an arm that registers with the recess in the body. Theparts are so constructed and arranged that the second jaw is moved intoand out of engagement with the open end of the first jaw in response toreciprocation of the rod.

The instrument is provided with suction means for drawing at least aportion of a polyp into the first jaw when the jaws are open, and effectretention of the polyp therein until the jaws are closed. This meansincludes a conduit carried by the support and communicating at one endwith the interior of the first jaw. The conduit ice is adapted to beconnected at its other end to a vacuumproducing device. A passage in thesupport establishes communication between the interior of the conduitand the atmosphere. This passage is adapted to be closed ofl by a fingerof the user, in practice.

The enumerated objects, as well as other objects, and the advantagesobtainable by the practice of this invention will be readily apparent topersons skilled in the art upon reference to the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, whichrespectively describe and illustrate a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a surgical instrument constructedin accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view in enlargement of the instrument shown in Fig.1, parts being omitted;

Fig. 3 is a view in enlargement taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along staggered line 4--4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view in enlargement taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, and more particularlyto Fig. 1, I have illus- 1 trated therein a combined support and forcepscontrol unit, generally indicated by numeral 10, and including a support11 having a tubular forward portion 12 and slotted, as indicated at 13.The unit is provided with a first handle 14 having a thumb receivingloop 15 and a second handle 16 that is pivoted to the body by a screw 17and has a finger receiving loop 18. The upper end of handle 16 ispositioned in slot 13 and is coupled to a slide block 19 that isreciprocable with respect to support 11.

A tubular member 20 is secured to support portion 12 and projectsforwardly therefrom. Attached to the distal end of tubular member 20 isa unitary hollow device 21, best shown in Fig. 3, and consisting of atubular element 22, a cup-shaped member or stationary jaw 23, and ablock 24 that is disposed between tubular element 22 and jaw 23 and isspaced from the tubular element, as indicated at 25. Block 24 is formedwith a recess 26 that is defined in part by merging surfaces 27 and 28.

A rod 30 extends through tubular member 20 and is connected at itsproximal end to slide block 19. A generally L-shaped slide block 31 issecured to the distal end of the rod. This block includes a portion 32that is disposed in space 25 of device 21. Block 31 has a bifurcatedforward end portion 33. A second cup-shaped member or movable jaw 34 hasan arm 35 that is pivotally connected to bifurcated block portion 33 bya pin- 36. Arm 35 registers with recess 26.

Jaw 34 may be moved into or out of engagement with the open end of jaw23 by imparting reciprocation to rod 30 through the medium of forcepscontrol devices. law 34 is shown in partially open position with respectto jaw 23 in the drawing. The user may actuate jaw 34 into closedposition with respect to jaw 23 by imparting counterclockwise movementto handle 16 about pivot screw 17, thereby moving block 19, rod 30 andblock 31 toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, whereby jaw 34 is alsomoved toward the left and pivoted in a counterclockwise direction aboutpin 36.

The instrument is provided with a suction means, which will next bedescribed, for drawing a polyp into jaw 23 when the jaws are in therelative position shown in the drawing. This means includes a conduit 40secured at one end to device 21 and communicating with the interior ofjaw 23 by way of a passage 41 in body 24. The other end of the conduitis equipped with a tubular fitting 42 that is adapted to be connected toa vacuum-producing device (not shown). An extension 43 integral withsupport portion 12 terminates in a flange or finger rest 44. Extension43 has a passage 45-, open at one endto the atmosphere and communicatingat its other end with the interioi'of conduit 40'by way of a port 46 inthe conduit. Extension 43 may be considered as constituting a conduitcommunicating with conduit 40.

For the purpose of outlining the operation of the illustratedinstrument, it is assumed that the parts are in therelative positionshown in Figs. 1 to 3 and that fitting 42 is connected to a suitablevacuum-producing device. It is also assumed that the instrument is to beused to remove, a polypfrom a nasal cavity. The doctor using theinstrument inserts the distal end thereof into the cavity and advancesthe instrument until the opening between thejaws is brought near thepolyp. He then places a finger against finger rest 44, thereby closingthe outer end of passage 45, creating a partial vacuum in jaw 23. Thisdraws the polyp into jaw 23, whereupon the doctor opcrates the forcepscontrol unit to bring jaw 34 into engagement with the outer end of jaw23 thereby severing the polyp from the wall of the nasal passage. Thedoctor may then remove his finger from finger rest 44, andwithdrawv theinstrument with the contained polyp from the nasal passage.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the construction, operation, andadvantages of my present invention will be readily comprehended bypersons skilled in the art. It is to be clearly understood, however,that various changes in the apparatus set forth above may be madewithout departing from. the scope of the invention, it being intendedthat all matter contained in the description or shown in the drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I. claim:

1. In a surgical instrument of the character described, a tubularmember, a device secured to and projecting beyond the distal end of thetubular member, said device including a hollow first jaw that is open atone end and a body intermediate the jaw and the tubular member, saidbody having a recess formed therein, a rod reciprocable in the tubularmember, a second jaw, and an arm secured to the second jaw and thedistal end of the rod, said arm including a free end that registers withthe recess, said second jaw being movable into and out of engagementwith the open end of the first jaw in response to reciprocatory movementof the rod with respect to the tubular member.

2. A surgical instrument in accordance with claim 1 including meanspivotally connecting the rod to the arm at a point intermediate thesecond jaw and the free end of the arm.

3. In a surgical instrument of the character described, a tubularmember, a device secured to and projecting beyond the distal end of thetubular member, said device including a hollow nrst jaw that is open atone end and a body intermediate the jaw and the tubular member, saidbody having a recess formed therein, a rod reciprocable in the tubularmember, a second jaw including an arm that registers with the recess andthat is pivotally connected to the distal end of the rod, said secondjaw being movable into and out of engagement with the open end of thefirst jaw in response to reciprocatory movement of the rod with respectto the tubular member, a conduit connected to the tubular member andcommunicating with the interior of the first jaw and adapted to beconnected to a vacuum-producing device, and a second conduitcommunicating with the first conduit and the atmosphere.

4. In a surgical instrument of the character described, a tubularmember, a device secured to and projecting beyond the distal end of thetubular member, said device including a hollow first jaw that is open atone end and a body intermediate the jaw and the tubular member, saidbody having a recess formed therein, a rod reciprocable in the tubularmember, a block secured to the distal end of the rod and reciprocabletherewith, and a second jaw pivotally connected to the block andincluding an arm that registers with the recess, said second jaw beingmovable into and out of engagement with the open end of the first jaw inresponse to reciprocatory movement of the rod with respect to thetubular member.

5. In a surgical instrument of the character described, a support, atubular member secured to and extending forwardly of the support, adevice secured to and projecting beyond the distal end of the tubularmember, said device including a hollow first jaw that is open at one endand a body intermediate the jaw and the tubular member, said body havinga recess formed therein, a rod reciprocable in the tubular member, ablock secured to the distal end of the rod-and reciprocable therewith, asecond jaw pivotally connected to the block and engageable with the openend of the first jaw, said second jaw including an arm that registerswith the recess, and means carried by the supportfor impartingreciprocation to the rod and the block, whereby to move the second jawinto and out of engagement with the open end of the first jaw.

6. A surgical instrument in accordance with claim 5, wherein the body isspaced from the distal end of the tubular member, and at least a portionof the block is disposed in the space between the body and the tubularmember.

7. A surgical instrument in accordance with claim 5 including a conduitconnected to the support and communicating with the interior of thefirst jaw, said conduit being adapted to be connected to avacuum-producing device, and a second conduit establishing communicationbetween the first conduit and the atmosphere.

8. A surgical instrument in accordance with claim 5 including a conduitconnected to the support and communicating with the interior of thefirst jaw, said conduit being adapted to be connected to avacuum-producing device, said support having a passage formed thereinestablishing communication between the first conduit and the atmosphere.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,609,238 Beck Nov. 30, 1926 2,113,246 Wappler Apr. 5, 1938 2,293,171Reardon Aug. 18, 1942

